Deadline: 15-Sep-2025
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund is supporting a targeted initiative in Bijelo Polje, Montenegro, that aims to empower parents of young children receiving early childhood intervention (ECI) services.
With a focus on both education and child health, this program places parents at the center of their children’s developmental journey and actively involves them in shaping the local ECI support ecosystem.
At its core, the initiative seeks to increase awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding developmental delays and disabilities. Through community engagement, including meetings and interactive workshops, parents will gain a deeper understanding of family-centered, transdisciplinary early intervention approaches. These activities are designed not only to inform but also to mobilize parents as advocates for their children and for inclusive, informed support systems in their communities.
The program also aims to foster stronger collaboration between parents and the professionals delivering ECI services. By building a sustainable support network in Bijelo Polje and establishing partnerships with similar organizations across the region, the initiative promotes peer learning and mutual encouragement. This network will provide a space where parents and professionals can exchange knowledge, share experiences, and advocate collectively for better services.
In addition to direct support for families, the initiative works to strengthen cross-sectoral partnerships at the local level. Aligning closely with Montenegro’s national Law on Health, the project seeks to involve municipal institutions and local authorities in a more integrated approach to early childhood services. Parents will be encouraged to take an active role not just in service use, but also in service design, implementation, and evaluation—ensuring that interventions are responsive to the real needs of families.
Through this initiative, UNICEF and its partners are laying the foundation for a more inclusive, informed, and responsive early childhood support system in Bijelo Polje—one where families are not just recipients of care but active agents of change.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
